Footwear temperature control method and apparatus

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein are temperature control elements for controllably regulating and/or altering the temperature of the footwear and thus the wearer&#39;s foot. In various embodiments, a temperature control element (TCE) may be housed in the vamp liner of the footwear, and a control unit may be housed in the footwear tongue. In some embodiments, the control unit may include or be coupled to a user interface, which also may be housed in the footwear tongue. In some embodiments, a pocket may be provided in the footwear tongue for receiving a power source configured to power the system, and in various embodiments the pocket also may be used for routing electrical conduits between the various components.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/667,358, filed Jul. 2, 2012, entitled “Footwear Temperature Control Method and Apparatus,” the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments herein relate to footwear, such as boots and shoes, and in particular to footwear having one or more temperature control elements disposed in a portion of the footwear upper, such as a vamp and/or tongue.

BACKGROUND

Footwear often is worn in conditions where temperature fluctuations can have a significant impact on the comfort and safety of the wearer. To help keep the wearer's foot warm in cold environments, footwear typically includes various insulating materials. While somewhat effective, insulation alone may not be sufficient to maintain a safe or comfortable foot temperature in severe cold environments. Further, insulated footwear can be problematic in warmer environments or in situations where the wearer is exerting a great deal of energy, as it traps heat and moisture and may cause overheating of the foot. Additionally, individuals with circulatory problems such as peripheral artery disease or Raynaud's phenomenon may have difficulty regulating foot temperature, particularly in cold environments.

Systems have been developed wherein electrical heating systems are integrated into the body of the footwear and powered by a portable power supply. However, these heating systems are susceptible to failure. For example, the heating elements can be fragile and may break easily. When the conductive path is broken, heated footwear is rendered inoperable. Due to the integrated nature of the heating components in the footwear, once broken, these systems are either not repairable or are too costly to repair. Further, integrating the heating elements in the footwear presents significant manufacturing difficulties, as placement of the elements in the footwear's upper, midsole, or outsole is labor intensive and requires precision stitching to avoid damage to the conductors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates a temperature control system for footwear, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a close-up view of the control element/user interface, charge port, and power source shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 3 illustrates a vamp lining heater attached to the quarter lining and tongue of an article of footwear, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 4 shows a cutaway view of the vamp liner of FIG. 3, illustrating the routing of electrical conduits to the tongue, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 5 illustrates one example of a tongue component access option for a temperature control system for footwear, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 6 illustrates another view of the tongue component access option illustrated in FIG. 5, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 7 illustrates another example of a tongue component access option for a temperature control system for footwear, in accordance with various embodiments; and

FIG. 8 illustrates another view of the tongue component access option illustrated in FIG. 7, in accordance with various embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration embodiments that may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope. Therefore, the following detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of embodiments is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Various operations may be described as multiple discrete operations in turn, in a manner that may be helpful in understanding embodiments; however, the order of description should not be construed to imply that these operations are order dependent.

For the purposes of the description, a phrase in the form “A/B” or in the form “A and/or B” means (A), (B), or (A and B). For the purposes of the description, a phrase in the form “at least one of A, B, and C” means (A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B and C). For the purposes of the description, a phrase in the form “(A)B” means (B) or (AB) that is, A is an optional element.

The description may use the terms “embodiment” or “embodiments,” which may each refer to one or more of the same or different embodiments. Furthermore, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and the like, as used with respect to embodiments, are synonymous.

In various embodiments, temperature control systems for footwear are provided, wherein a vamp liner may include a temperature control element (referred to herein as a “TCE”) disposed therein. As used herein, the term “vamp” refers to the section of the footwear upper that covers the front of the foot and optionally extends as far back as the join on the quarter, which term refers to the rear and sides of the upper that cover the heel. As used herein, the term “vamp liner” refers to the portion of the liner corresponding to the vamp.

In various embodiments, when coupled to a portable power supply (e.g., a battery or power cell, etc.), the vamp liner TCE may be adapted to generate or absorb heat, for example, to raise and/or lower the temperature of the liner, thus raising and/or lowering the temperature of the footwear as perceived by a wearer's foot. In some embodiments, electrical components such as a power supply, control unit, and/or a user interface may be located in the tongue portion of the footwear, and may be electrically coupled to the TCE.

The TCE may include heating elements, cooling elements, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the heating elements may include conductive yarn fibers woven or coupled into the vamp liner, such as those made by Fibretronic Ltd., Los Angeles, Calif. In other embodiments, the heating elements may include metallic or non-metallic-based conductors that are inlaid, etched, or printed on a substrate that is coupled to the vamp liner. In still other embodiments, the heating and/or cooling elements may include one or more piezoelectric and/or thermoelectric heaters and/or coolers that may control the temperature of the vamp liner.

In various embodiments, a control unit, a power source, a user interface, and/or a thermostat may be electrically coupled to the TCE and adapted to regulate the system so as to control the temperature of the vamp liner as desired. In some embodiments, the control unit and/or user interface may be disposed on the footwear such that the vamp liner temperature may be controlled by the wearer by manipulating a setting, for instance on the control unit and/or user interface, or it may be remotely controlled, for instance using a wired or wireless interface. In other embodiments, the liner temperature may be controlled automatically using a thermostat. In some embodiments, the power source, control unit, and/or user interface may be disposed on the tongue of the footwear, which location may provide superior accessibility to the various components by the user, even when the footwear is being worn.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a temperature control system 100 for footwear in accordance with various embodiments. As illustrated in FIG. 1, in various embodiments, a vamp liner 102, which also may be referred to as a vamp lining blanket, may be sized to fit within footwear having a variety of shapes and configurations. As illustrated, vamp liner 102 may include a TCE 104 disposed therein and configured to provide a heat source and/or cooling source. In various embodiments, TCE 104 may include one or more conducting elements 106 that may be strategically patterned about at least a portion of liner 102.

In some embodiments, the distribution of conducting element 106 may be positioned to provide temperature control to all or most of vamp liner 102, and thereby configured to provide heating or cooling to the entire forefoot. In other embodiments, conducting element 106 may be positioned in a forward or ball/toe portion of vamp liner 102. In various embodiments, this may be an advantageous configuration, as the toes and/or forefoot typically are the portions of the foot that become cold or overheated due to reduced circulation. In other embodiments, conducting element 106 may be positioned in other zones or patterns, as desired. In embodiments having both heating and cooling elements, heating and cooling conducting elements 106 may be interlaced, alternating, adjacent, or positioned in different regions of vamp liner 102.

In various embodiments, positioning the TCE in the vamp liner, as opposed to in the footbed or midsole, may reduce wear and tear on the TCE, as the vamp liner generally is not subjected to the impact associated with a footstrike. Over time, such impacts may damage the heating and/or cooling elements, which may limit the useful lifespan of the footwear. Thus, systems incorporating the heating/cooling elements into the vamp liner may have a longer lifespan than similar systems that position the TCE under the foot. Additionally, incorporating the TCE into the vamp liner may facilitate manufacture of the footwear, because it may be easier to incorporate the TCE into a vamp liner than a midsole in various embodiments, for instance due to the different materials that make up the two footwear parts.

In various embodiments, conducting element 106 may be carried by a substrate, such as cross-linked polyethylene (PEX), polyimide (PI), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC), polyolefins (such as polyethylene), thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), thermoplastic urethanes (TPU), ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA), or another substrate that is generally thin, flexible, and generally not susceptible to temperature fluctuations. Conducting element 106 may include, for example, non-metallic or metallic-based wires or traces that may be deposited, etched, printed, and/or molded into the substrate. In some embodiments, other conductive materials may be used, such as conductive fabrics having, for example, conductive carbon, silver ion, or copper threads. In some embodiments, conductive yarns may be intertwined with a base material, such as a knit construction that includes polyester, nylon, or a fiber blend.

In various embodiments, conducting element 106 may be electrically coupled to a control unit/user interface 110 via an electrical conduit 108 a, and may allow a user to control the heating/cooling cycles of temperature control system 100. In some embodiments, electrical conduit 108 a may include a detachable coupling member 116 a that may allow TCE 104 (and therefore vamp liner 102 and conducting element 106) to be detached from control unit/user interface 110. In various embodiments, detachable coupling member 116 a may include contacts that may be, for example, positive and negative electrical terminals. Although in the illustrated embodiment, the control unit and user interface are part of a single component, in other embodiments, the control unit may be separate from the user interface, and the user interface may be coupled to the control unit via an electrical conduit, which optionally may include a detachable coupling member. In various embodiments, control unit/user interface 110 may include one or more lights or other indicia to indicate to a user the power status of the system, a mode of operation, and/or other operating information.

In some embodiments, the control unit/user interface 110 also may be electrically coupled to a power source 112 configured to power temperature control system 100 via an electrical conduit 108 b, which optionally may include a detachable coupling member 116 b. In various embodiments, the control unit/user interface 110 may also be electrically coupled to a charge port 114 that may allow for charging of power source 112 from an external power source. Although a particular configuration of the various components of temperature control system 100 is illustrated in FIG. 1, one of skill in the art will appreciate that the various components may be coupled together in other configurations to suit the requirements of a particular application.

FIG. 2 is a close-up view of the control unit/user interface, charge port, and power source shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with various embodiments. Turning now to FIG. 2, as described above, the conducting element (not shown) may be electrically coupled to control unit/user interface 110 via an electrical conduit 108 a. In some embodiments, electrical conduit 108 a may include a detachable coupling member 116 a that may allow TCE (not shown) and therefore the vamp liner and conducting element, to be detached from control unit/user interface 110. In various embodiments, detachable coupling member 116 a may include a clip or snap made from an electrically-insulating material such as plastic, and may include features to facilitate disconnection and reconnection of control unit/user interface 112 with the conducting element.

Similarly, power source 112 may be electrically coupled to the control unit/user interface 110 via an electrical conduit 108 b. In some embodiments, electrical conduit 108 b may include a detachable coupling member 116 b that may allow power source 112 to be detached from control unit/user interface 110. In various embodiments, detachable coupling member 116 b may include a clip or snap made from an electrically-insulating material such as plastic, and may include features to facilitate disconnection and reconnection of control unit/user interface 112 with the power source 112. Additionally, charge port 114 may include a standard detachable connector such as a USB or micro USB port. In various embodiments, detachability of the various components of the system may be desirable, for instance in order to facilitate cleaning, repair, or replacement of the system components.

In some embodiments, the system may include one or more separate insulating layers in addition to the vamp liner. For instance, in some embodiments, an insulating layer may be positioned between the conducting element and the outer layer of the footwear, for example on an outer surface of the conducting element. In various embodiments, this insulating layer may include one or more conductive insulators, such as an aerogel, and/or a radiation reflector, such as OmniHeat™ Reflective. Some embodiments may include both a conductive insulator and a radiation reflector, allowing conductive and radiative heat to be directed inward toward the foot, while convective heat (e.g., perspiration evaporation) is allowed to pass through the footwear, keeping the foot warm and dry.

FIG. 3 is a close-up view of a vamp liner attached to the quarter lining and tongue of an article of footwear, in accordance with various embodiments. In the illustrated embodiment, vamp liner 302 may be positioned in the footwear by affixing vamp liner 302 to the tongue 318 and/or quarter lining 320 of the footwear. Although the vamp lining 302 is positioned within the footwear upper by stitching in the illustrated embodiment, one of skill in the art will appreciate that any method of attachment may be used. Furthermore, although vamp liner 302 is depicted as having a specific shape and coupling to tongue 318 and quarter lining 320 in a particular configuration, one of skill in the art will appreciate that the exact shape and position of vamp liner 302 may be tailored to suit a particular application.

FIG. 4 shows a cutaway view of the vamp liner of FIG. 3, illustrating the routing of electrical conduits to the tongue, in accordance with various embodiments. In the illustrated embodiment, an electrical conduit 308 that couples the vamp liner 302 to the control unit/user interface (not shown) may be routed along the tongue 318. In various embodiments, electrical conduit 308 may include a detachable coupling member 316 that allows the control unit/user interface to be uncoupled from vamp liner 302.

FIG. 5 illustrates one example of a tongue component access option for a temperature control system for footwear, in accordance with various embodiments. In various embodiments, the control unit/user interface 510 may be incorporated into the tongue 518. Optionally, tongue 518 may be provided with a pocket 522 or sleeve that may be accessed by a user, for instance on a front surface of tongue 518, and that may be sized and shaped to accommodate the power source (not shown). Optionally, pocket 522 may include one or more openings for routing electrical conduits (not shown). In particular embodiments, pocket 522 may be equipped with a closure mechanism 524, such as a hook-and-loop closure, zipper, snaps, etc.

FIG. 6 is another view of the tongue component access option illustrated in FIG. 5, showing the control unit/user interface 510 integrated with tongue 518. In some embodiments, control unit/user interface 510 may be a part of an integrated circuit based system that is configured to regulate and control the current provided to the TCE by the power source. In some embodiments, control unit/user interface 510 may be configured with, for example, multiple settings (e.g. high, medium, low, and off), and may be configured to set an electronic thermostat that can regulate the temperature of the liner based on, for example, the internal temperature of the footwear or a predetermined setting. In some embodiments, these different settings may be accessed by activating a button once or multiple times, and may be indicated by a sound or light pattern emitted by control/user interface 510.

For example, in one specific, non-limiting embodiment, control/user interface 510 may emit green, yellow, or red light depending on the chosen setting. Although control unit/user interface 510 is illustrated as displaying a particular logo, one of skill in the art will appreciate that control unit/user interface 510 may be configured to display different shapes, configurations, logos (e.g., college logos, brand names and/or images, sports team logos), etc.

In the illustrated embodiment, pocket 522 is shown in the open position and is equipped with a hook-and-loop closure mechanism 524, although other closure mechanisms may be substituted. In various embodiments, pocket 522 also may include an inner sleeve 526 for securing the power source (not shown).

FIG. 7 illustrates another example of a tongue component access option for a temperature control system for footwear, in accordance with various embodiments. In the illustrated example, pocket 722 may include a closure flap 728 configured to secure and protect the power source and other components. Closure flap 728 is shown in an open position in FIG. 8, revealing the hook and loop closure mechanism 724 and inner sleeve 726 for securing the power source (not shown).

In various embodiments, the system may be programmable to increase the functionality of the temperature controlled footwear. For example, in various embodiments, the control unit/user interface may be adapted to couple to a computer or handheld device via a variety of known interface connections (e.g., USB or micro USB). A variety of parameters may then be modified, such as temperature ranges associated with various settings, light/indicator effects, and/or timing cycles. In various embodiments, a wireless interface component, such as a transceiver, may be coupled to or integrated with the control unit/user interface, which may allow remote control and manipulation of the controller settings.

In various embodiments, the control unit/user interface, power source, vamp liner, and/or the electrical connectors and conduits therebetween may be removed by a user, for instance for cleaning, repair, or replacement of broken, worn, or dirty components. As such, in these embodiments, a single component may be removed for replacement or repair without necessitating the replacement of the entire system. Similarly, in some embodiments, components of the system may be removed from the footwear if the footwear becomes soiled and is in need of cleaning.

Although certain embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a wide variety of alternate and/or equivalent embodiments or implementations calculated to achieve the same purposes may be substituted for the embodiments shown and described without departing from the scope. Those with skill in the art will readily appreciate that embodiments may be implemented in a very wide variety of ways. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the embodiments discussed herein. Therefore, it is manifestly intended that embodiments be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A temperature control system for footwear comprising: a vamp liner comprising a temperature control element adapted to alter the temperature of the footwear; a power source adapted to couple to and provide power to the temperature control element; and a control unit coupled to a tongue of the footwear, wherein the control unit is adapted to couple to the power source and control the temperature control element.
 2. The temperature control system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface operatively coupled to the control unit.
 3. The temperature control system of claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises a user interface.
 4. The temperature control system of claim 1, further comprising a charging port adapted to allow the power source to be recharged.
 5. The temperature control system of claim 1, wherein the power source is removably coupled to the footwear.
 6. The temperature control system of claim 1, wherein the vamp liner is removably coupled to the footwear.
 7. The temperature control system of claim 1, wherein the control unit is removable from the footwear.
 8. The temperature control system of claim 5, wherein the tongue comprises a pocket adapted to receive the power source.
 9. The temperature control system of claim 8, wherein the tongue is further adapted to receive one or more electrical conduits coupling the vamp liner to the control unit.
 10. The temperature control system of claim 9, wherein the tongue is further adapted to receive one or more electrical conduits coupling the control unit to the power source.
 11. The temperature control system of claim 1, wherein the temperature control element comprises a heating and/or cooling element.
 12. The temperature control system of claim 11, wherein the heating and/or cooling element comprises a conductor.
 13. The temperature control system of claim 12, wherein the conductor is woven into the vamp liner.
 14. The temperature control system of claim 13, wherein the conductor comprises a carbon fiber.
 15. The temperature control system of claim 13, wherein the conductor comprises a conductive yarn.
 16. The temperature control system of claim 12, wherein the conductor comprises a metallic conductor coupled to the vamp liner.
 17. The temperature control system of claim 1, wherein the control unit comprises an integrated circuit based system, and wherein the integrated circuit based system is configured to regulate the current provided to the temperature control element by the power source.
 18. The temperature control system of claim 1, wherein the power source is a battery.
 19. The temperature control system of claim 18, wherein the battery is rechargeable.
 20. The temperature control system of claim 1, wherein the control unit is programmable.
 21. The temperature control system of claim 4, wherein the charging port comprises a USB port or micro USB port.
 22. A temperature control footwear system comprising: an article of footwear comprising a vamp liner and a tongue; wherein the vamp liner comprises a temperature control element adapted to alter the temperature of the footwear; and wherein the tongue comprises a control unit/user interface; and a power source removably coupled to the footwear and adapted to removably couple to and provide power to the temperature control element; wherein the control unit is adapted to removably couple to the power source and allow a user to control the temperature control element.
 23. The temperature control footwear system of claim 22, further comprising a charging port adapted to allow the power source to be recharged.
 24. The temperature control footwear system of claim 22, wherein the tongue of the footwear comprises a pocket adapted to receive the power source. 